Foundation sealing system for a sealed storage structure



Sept. 24, 1968 W J, EVERS 3,402,519

FOUNDATION SEALING vSYSTEM FOR A SEALED STORAGE STRUCTURE Filed Deo. 27.196e' My @uw United States Patent O l 3,402,519 FOUNDATION SEALINGSYSTEM FOR A SEALED STURAGE STRUCTURE William J. Evers, Des Plaines,Ill., assignor to A. 0. Smith Harvestore Products, Inc., ArlingtonHeights, Ill.,

a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 604,860 3Claims. (Cl. 52-295) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLGSURE A foundation sealingsystem for a gas-tight storage structure used to store perishablematerials, such as animal foods, which are preserved by protecting themfrom the atmosphere and method of assembly. The sealing system comprisesa mastic sealer disposed between the concrete foundation of a sealedstorage structure and the anchoring element for the structure. Themastic sealer extends through central passages in the anchor bolts whichsecure the structure to the anchoring elernent and completely fills allvoids between the anchoring element and the concrete foundation toprovide a gas-tight seal therebetween. In assembly of the storagestructure, the anchoring element is first assembled on a suitablefooting with the lowest tier portion of the storage structure boltedthereto. Mastic sealer is then extruded in a continuous fillet on theinside surface of the anchoring element completely around the peripherythereof, with the sealer covering each bolt and bolt opening in theanchoring element. Concrete is then poured into the assembled baseportion of the structure to form a floor. The concrete extends up to thetop level of the anchoring element and is in contact with the innersurface thereof. The fillet of sealer displaces the concrete in theportion thereof which it occupies, and the presence of sealer over theinner ends of the anchor bolts prevents closure of the central passagestherein. Additional sealer is then added from the outside through theanchor bolt passages after the structure assembly has been completed.

The type of structure to which the subject invention can be applied isthat shown in U.S. Patents 2,551,217 and 2,729,313. These patents aredirected to gas-tight storage structures for perishable foods, and it ismost important in such structures that there be no leaks to the,atmosphere. It has sometimes been difficult to provide adequate sealingbetween the concrete base of such a structure and the lower portion ofthe structure because the concrete base contracts slightly duringcuring, and at later times due to large temperature changes. In thissituation, a space develops between the anchoring element and theconcrete base. This is a potential air leak. Before applicantsinvention, it was necessary to empty the storage structure to repair thefoundation sealing system. In addition, there was no simple way toeffect the repair without rst disassembling a portion of the storagestructure.

Summary 0f the invention This invention provides a sealing means betweenthe concrete oor of a storage structure and the Walls of the structurewhich can be added to through passages in the anchor bolts which attachthe walls of the structure to the anchoring element. The sealing systeminsures that all voids between the concrete base and the walls of thestructure are completely lled with sealer to prevent the development ofair leaks in the structure. The sealing system is particularlyadvantageous because it may be supplemented with additional sealerforced in through the passages in the anchor bolts at any time duringthe life of the structure, whenever a leak develops, without 3,402 ,5 19Patented Sept. 24, 1968 emptying stored materials, or disturbing thestructure in any way. The continuous mastic sealer fillet is disposed onthe inner surface of the anchoring element prior to laying of theconcrete door, so that it creates the necessary passage network throughwhich additional mastic ller can be added through the anchor boltpassages.

Brief description of the drawings The drawings illustrate the presentlypreferred method of carrying out the invention.

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section of the foundation and floor of a storagestructure incorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is the same as FIG. 2, but showing the sealing system filled inafter the concrete has contracted;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 4 4 of FIG. 1showing the relationship of the sealing system to the anchor bolt;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 1 showing aconnecting joint between adjacent sections of the anchoring element;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the anchoring element as shown in FIG. 5;and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged lside elevation with parts broken away of theanchor bolt shown in FIG. 4.

Description of the preferred embodiment As shown in the drawings, astorage structure 1 is disposed on a concrete foundation 2, which issupported on footings 3 and secured thereto by a plurality of verticalanchor bolts 4. A plurality connecting assemblies 5 attach therespective vertical anchor bolts 4 to vertical foundation sheets 6 ofthe storage structure 1. The foundation sheets are also secured to ananchoring element 7, which comprises a plurality of arcuate right-anglemembers 8 extending around the upper outer edge 9 of the concretefoundation 2 of the storage 'structure 1.

FIG. 3 of the drawings is an enlarged section through one of theright-angle members 8, and shows a fillet of mastic sealer 10 disposedbetween the concrete foundation 2 and the right-angle member 8 of theanchoring element 7. The mastic sealer 10 extends as a continuous filletor bead completely encompassing the foundation 2, being disposed at allpoints between the anchoring element 7 and the foundation 2. Thecontinuous fillet of mastic sealer is disposed over each anchor bolt 11,traversing inner end 12 thereof as seen in FIG. 4 of the drawings. FIG.5 of the drawings shows the fillet of mastic sealer 10 crossing of theinner ends 12 of a plurality of anchor bolts 11. In addition, the pathof sealer 10 relative to a connecting joint 13 between two adjacentrightangle members 8 is illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. As seen in FIG. 6,adjacent ends 14 of the members 8 have end flanges 15 which are securedtogether by means of a connecting bolt assembly 16. As seen best in FIG.6, the fillet of mastic sealer 10 is guided down around the end flanges15 of the right-angle members 8. U-shaped sealer bolt anchor 17 iscanted slightly as shown in FIG. 6 to accommodate a natural path for thesealer 10.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the anchor bolt 11 seen in FIGS. 4 and 5,and more clearly shows hollow core passage 18, which is adapted toreceive additional sealer 10 therethrough. Presence of passages 18 inthe anchor bolts 11 makes it possible to add sealer 10 after thestructure 1 has been constructed, and even after it has been filled withmaterial to be stored. The concrete foundation 2 tends to contract sometime after being poured and, in most cases, long after the structure hasbeen completed and filled. The sealing system of the invention providesa very simple means of adding additional sealer 10 through the anchorbolts 11. As seen in FIG. 3, void 19 formed between the foundation 2 andthe anchoring element 7 can be completely filled with sealer 10 throughthe anchor bolts 11. After the void 19 has formed, sealer 10 is addedunder pressure through successive anchor bolts 11 until sealer 10 iscaused to move outwardly through the next adjacent anchor bolt 11, thusinsuring that all parts of the void 19 extending between the Iadjacentanchor bolts 11 are filled. The anchor bolts 11 are provided withspe-cial Washers 20 which are disposed over the respective bolts 11 atthe outside extension thereof. Each Ianchor bolt 11 is secured in placeby a retaining nut 21. A cap nut 22 is provided to seal the outer end ofthe hollow core passage 18 after it is filled with mastic sealer 10, lasdescribed above.

To assemble the structure, the foundation sheets 6 are first assembledon the footings 3, and the anchoring element 7 is assembled thereon, asshown in FIG. l. Mastic sealer 10 is applied to all metal-to-metalsealing surfaces such as the surface ybetween the inside of thefoundation sheets 6 and the outside of the anchoring element 7. Acontinuous fillet of mastic sealer 10 is then applied to the innervertical surface of the anchoring element 7, taking care to traverse theinner ends of each hollow core passage 18 in the respective anchor bolts11.

The concrete foundation 2 is then poured, using the assembled foundationsheets 6 and the anchoring element 7 as a form. The mastic sealer 10displaces concrete at the fillet to provide a passage network throughthe anchor bolts 11 to add sealer 10 at any time after the storagestructure 1 has been completed. The main body of the structure can beassembled as described in U.S. Patents 2,605,540, 2,631,008 and3,199,839. After the concrete has cured, additional sealer 10 is appliedby means of a pressurized mastic gun (not shown) to ill all voids 19which develop between the anchoring element 7 and the foundation 2.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as beingwithin the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out anddistinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as theinvention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for sealing the foundation of a gas-tight storage structurehaving a bottom portion, said structure comprising a concretefoundation, an anchoring element disposed around the outer upper edge ofsaid concrete foundation, means securing said anchoring element to thebottom portion of said storage structure, said means having passagemeans extending therethrough from the inside to the outside of theanchoring element, and a semisolid gas-tight sealing mastic disposedbetween the inner surface of the anchoring element and the outer surfaceof the concrete foundation in a continuous fillet extending completelyaround said concrete foundation, said sealing mastic extending over theinner ends of the passage means in said anchoring element securing meansto provide .a complete gas-tight seal between said: concrete foundationand the inside surface of said anchoring element, said passage means insaid securing means providing accesswhereby additional gas-tight sealercan be applied at any time from outside the storage structure to addadditional sealing mastic withgout disturbing material stored in thestructure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said securing means comprises aplurality of hollow-cored anchor bolts.

3. In a gas-tight storage structure having a concrete base and a wallportion including an anchoring element disposed at the upper level ofsaid base and connected to said wall portion and said base, acontinuous, semi-solid ribbon of sealing mastic disposed .at theinterface between said concrete base and said anchoring element, aconduit extending axially through said wall portion and through saidanchoring element for conducting additional sealer material therethroughfrom outside said storage structure to the interface between saidconcrete base and said anchoring element to provide a continuousgas-tight seal therebetween even after contraction of said concrete baseaway from said anchoring element.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 609,733 8/1898 Coker 52-2492,852,110 9/1958 Dueringer 52-247 2,899,820 8/1959 Headriok 52--7442,903,877 9/1959 Meade 52-744 3,043,055 7/1962 Davey 52-127 3,302,8142/1967 Dohner 220--80 FOREIGN PATENTS 184,241 7/ 1922 Great Britain.

637,812 4/ 1962 Italy.

HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Primary Examiner.

JAMES L. RIDGILL, JR., Assistant Examiner.

